Window-screen.



E. STARBUCK & W. A. SEELYE. WINDOW SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. Is, 1915.

1,250,376. Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I E. STARBUCK & W. A. SEELYE. wmnow SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 1915. 1,250,376. Patented Dec.'18,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M/Od/C/ as'siiroia we "wi'nsoir, or ivrnmaroras, mom.-

Toall team it may concern:

Be it known that we, EitNEsT 'S'i'A-RBUCK and YViLLIAM A. SEELYE, citizens of the United States, residing at Peoria; in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois 'hav'e invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Window-Screens; and." we. do herebydeclare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art tOWlllh-it appertain's to make and use the same.

This invention pertains to improvements in window screens; It relates particularly to the manner of constructing the frame of a screen and to the inode of holdingand stretching the wire fabric.

An object of the invention is to constrhct a metal frame screen that will be practically indestructible, thoroughly strong and rigid in use, that can be readily assembled i or disassembled by an inexperienced persoh,

and that will be low in cost.

Another object is to construct a window screen in which the several parts of it's frame, which may be termed its rails, are separable from one another and forth other parts which hold the fabric so that the screen can be rewired, inaking use of certain corner braces for securing the several parts together.

Another object is to provide, in a window screen, 'a series of frame portions or rails each made up of two separable portions one inclosed by the other and inverted with respect' to one another and so arranged that the inner one becomes the holdingporti'on for the wire fabric while the other 'the enter one, becomes the holding member for'both the said inner portions with the fabric, the two in conjunction being adapted to draw or stretch the fabric tight in the act'of assembling; Still another object is to 'construct'each frame portion or rail of "a screen of two parts which after adjustment relatively to sires-:11 the wire fabric can be "secured in a desired adjustment by a corner brace by which to hold the 'fabrid permanently stretched. a a J I Besides thf'e'se' bje'cts "the invention. relates sibf mastrutiw andare ranginent of parts to be'fptointed outin cdmpanying drawings, in which;

,Figure 1 shows a piece of screen wire or the following specification aided by the 'acwire fabric 'cutto a peculiar form and an incl'osingiU-shaped metal member placed on each ofitlie two opposite edges.

r 2 's 'awsimila'r View showingthe'nieirr; her turned in -uponthe wire fabric and third nferiiber similar .to' the others placed onone of the other d'gesofthe fabric.

.Fig; 3 is a plan much enlarged showing I.

the encL'of one of the members andthe edge of the fabric ii'iclosedtherei'n; l7 1 4 is sinhil'ar Yiew showiiig the iiieinber turned over upon the fabric,. the Ledge ofjthe latter lying within it asin Fig. '3.

. Fig; 51s a View similar to Fig.- 2 and on the samersca'le, showing" all four edges of the fabric provided. With the members shown in the preeeding-fignres;

Fig. 6 shows a portion of the wire in perspectit e and portions of twoQof the U'-'shaped membersshown in the other figures, the. same .inclbsing the edges of the fabric and turnedoiter upon the latter to;

gether with certain other inclo'sing U-shaped i mernbers. I

Fig. is anielevation of substantially what iatiic is shown in Fig. 6,- exc'eptthat the saidginj and the adjacent. lower rail of an upper screenu. H v Fig. "8 is a cross secti o'nof portions shown in Fig. .7 but in a.corrugated form, the sides'of the porti'ons'being purposely widely spaced toclearly Show the 'structi'lre. r Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the upper corners of a lower completed screen and a portion of the lower {corner of an upper screen showing their relation and their posi tion upon'a track. 7 I g Fig. 10 is a planshowing the relation of the two screens shown, in Fig. 9. Fig; 11 is an' elevation of an ii-p e'r a lower screen showing a partjof the latter in section,- and of a corrugated form corre' spending with Fig. 8

.gFig'.= 12 is a cross seetien one rails of a screen inclosed in one of the corner braces.

Fig. 13 shows two guides one for a upper screen and one for the lower screen.

Fig. 1% is a plan showing a modified form of track in cross section and the manner of mounting the screens therein; and,

Fig. 15 shows a corner bracket in perspective.

Screens made up of wooden frames are very diflicult to properly rewire, are destructible, and the process of rewiring is very tedious and not easily accomplished by one not skilled in such work. It is our purpose to provide a form of metal frame for a screen that will be practically indestructible and of a form such as will admit the most inexperienced person to rewire the screen in a short time with a minimum of effort, and above all the fabric of the completed screen will have been stretched perfectly tight, because of certain necessary acts to accomplish the reassembling of the parts.

\Ve are aware that it is not new to construct screens of metal since we have knowledge of a number of patented devices. But in bringing out the form of screen now to be described simplicity is the first requirement so that the parts may be readily and easily assembled and disassembled, also that it shall be low in cost because of its simple construction and that any person entirely inexperienced in handling tools or of performing any sort of mechanical work can do all work necessary in rewiring the screen or taking general care of it. In order that the construction of the screen and its manner of handling can be most easily and clearly understood, the drawings have been prepared with a view to illustrating the several steps in putting the screen together.

In the figures A represents a piece of screen wire, or wire fabric of the proper size of a given screen to be assembled, it being observed that each corner of the fabric is recessed as shown at A. Each of the edges of the fabric is now inclosed in a channel member of metal B plainly shown in plan in Figs. 8 and 4. The width of each member B is substantially equal to one half of the width of that portion of the screen projecting outward from the recess. Upon being placed as described each member is turned over upon the fabric as shown'in Fig. 4:, thus bending the wire along the edge of the members as shown clearly in Fig. 6. Fig. 2 shows three of these members thus placed and turned over uponthe fabric leaving the fourth edge free. Fig. 5 shows the four edges complete in this'respect.

It is observed that the length of each member B is substantially equal to the length of the edge of the fabric between the recessses. By recessing the corners, as explained, after the members 13 are turned in, there are no parts of the fabric exposed or that will prevent the easy handling or manipulation of the parts described.

C represents a channel member placed over each of the members B and the fabric adjacent thereto, this being entirely disclosed in Figs. 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12. The recesses or channels of these members 0 are such as to receive each member B and the wire fabric in a snug fit as clearly shown in said Figs. 11 and 12. The ends of said members are mitered and the shortest measurement of said members, or that between the innermost corners thereof, is substantially equal to the length of the members B.

D represents a corner brace or fitting of sheet metal. It is designed to receive and inclose the ends of the members C at each corner of the screen and for this purpose when placed in position are slightly spread so as to be sprung over said members when the parts are assembled with the fabric. In Fig. 9 the assembled relation of the parts is shown by dotted lines X indicating the abutting mitered edges of the members C. The latter when assembled withinthe said corner brace D represent the full outer measurement of the screen to fit'between tracks or guides indicated at E, Figs, 9, '10 and 14.

The wire fabric when prepared for use is cut to a certain size and when the members B are placed thereon and turned over upon it as already described, the distance between the inner edges of two opposite ones must be preferably slightly less than the distance between the inner edges of the opposite members C corresponding in position thereto. This relation provides for tightly stretching the fabric in the completed screen. The dotted lines in Fig. 9 indicated by B represent the members B as the position they occupy before the fabric which they hold is stretched. The last act in the assembling operation is now to stretch the fabric. This is done by employing a clamp for ease and convenience, one part of which lies upon the outer surface of the member C and the other upon the inner edge of the member B. Now, by drawing up the clamp. B is forced inward into C to substantially the position shown in full lines in said Fig. 9 whereupon a screw F is inserted through holes G in the brace D, Fig. 14, one of which may be threaded to receive the threaded portion of the screw which, when tightened, firmly clamps said brace upon the part inclosed by it. The screw may serve to prevent the movement of the members B outward, although the fricton set up by clamping the brace will be suflicient. That is to sav,'the screw since it lies in the angle of the frame can lie suiiiciently close to the members B so they can each bear upon it and, of'course, said screw will pass through the fabric the latter beingspread-totormaholexvnsshown .invFig. 7 by meansofwawl=or similar "implementto make \room forthe introduction of thescrew.

The stretching action will preferably take place simultaneously at, all four edges so 1' that the braces D can all be tightened iat once. The brace is paneled at F so that in moving the sides toward one another the edges that underhangthe. members C, as shown in Fig-12, will result in firmly in- .closing those parts. However, outward from the screw. the metal is not indented but lies in the same plane with the outermost surface of the. side of the brace to receivea certain guiding portion J aboutto be described.

, During the act of stretching the the abutting .mitered ends of the members C held within-the braces D are the parts upon which the strain is placed in the clamping operation and these also maintain the fabric in its permanently stretched cond-ition.

.Fig. .14 shows a form of double track to receive the upper and lower. screens in separate guideways but-where a-single track is employed, which is preferable from the fact that the screens can be removed without dis- ,cated so as to provide an upper and alower extension or tongue, one of which is bent beyond the plane of the other as clearly shown in Fig. 13, whereby, as shown in Fig. 10, one of the saidtongues lies at each side ofthe said guiding portionH of the track.

The corner brace .D is provided with integral projections M as shown in Fig. 15, which are formed by forcing the metal outwardQ, "One: of these projections .liesat each side 'of-the said guiding portion J and holds the same in its proper position .in use. The said members J are duplicates, one being inverted to take its place upon the upper screen.

'momentortwo.

device may be employed to hold" the upper screeninjits -properposition and to hold the lower one in any raised position "andi n fact if constructed of spring-metal the guides J themselves mayconstitute the fricition means to graspthe guiding portions ofthe-track.

I-t-is observed that since theedge-ofithe fabric A lies within the channel member-:58 and isth-us-recurved uponitself-no amount ofstrainupon the fabric in stretching it can possibly withdraw it from said member B'besidesthe fact that the channel members C also assist inpreventing such an occur- 'rence.

The structurethroughout is quite simple and the act. of assembling its parts and stretching the fabric is really more simple than would appear from the description.

In practice, themeasurement of the fabric when out for use: is such that when the members B are placed upon its'edges and folded over upon it, as described, the measurement between the inner edges of the said anembers B in a folded position (Figs. 5 and 6) will be slightly less than the distance between the inner edges-10f the members C in their assembled relation, so that when drawn to the finished assembled position,

the tight flat fabric is the result. 7

In rewiringthe screen the simple removal of the four screws and the spreading of the corner braces permits the members G to be withdrawn whereupon the membersB can be removed and thus readily slipped from the edges of the fabric. A new piece of fabric having been cut in the, manner explained can then be employed'and the parts reassembled.

The thickness ofthepa'rt H of the track E, Fig. 10, has purposely beenexaggerated as well as the part corresponding to it in Fig. 1%, in order that thedrawing can be easily read and that the --str u'cturescan be more readily-observed. However, in practice,;the meeting rails of the upper and lower screens can lie quiteclose together by makingthe equivalento-f the-said portion quite thin. Butwhere a space may exist betweenthem such as would admit insects to crawl between the rails the metal of the member C of the lower screen may be'turned outwardintoa flange C, Fig. 6, to meet the opposite lower railofthe. upper screen-, or, as shown in Fig. 8, the edge of the member C of the lower rail of-the upper screen may be outwardly bent in the same manner toward thelower rail as shown at C .But in any event the braces D willlie close enough to one another for all purposes.

In Figs. 8 and-11 the sides for" the members B and G are corrugated. 1 This answers two purposes, first,v that of strengthening sai m eeb re seerees iesrhe ae b e out of shape by blows that said members may accidentally receive, and second, when the members B are forced into the members C in the manner already explained, the corrugations will aid materially in preventing movement of the parts relatively. However, for the latter purpose the parts may be otherwise provided with roughened surfaces not necessarily coming under the head of corrugations.

The structure described herein. may be employed equally well for half length screens or those to extend the full length of the window and hung from the top to swing outward. In the two piece form herein illustrated the screens because of their thin form can be placed between the window and outside blinds so as not to interfere with either which is'an advantage well understood.

A point of advantage also is that the parts of the screen, besides the fact that they can be easily taken apart and reassembled, are not liable to damage in so doing whereas in some forms of patented devices with which we are familiar the parts cannot be separated without destroying their utility.

The fact that the sides of the members B lie close together or so close as to just receive the thickness of the fabric and that the sides of the members C are spaced just sufficient to receive the said members B and the additional thickness of fabric at the side as in Fig. 12 insures a strong rail for the screen at all sides in addition to the fact that the fabric is so firmly held that it cannot become loosened, aided by the sharp turn of the fabric over the edge of said members. B.

While we have described a peculiar manner of constructing the portions of the screen they may be altered in various ways to suit the desires, or to best meet the aim of the invention, all without departing from the spirit of said invention and the meaning of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a screen, the combination of a main frame, consisting of channeled members fixed relatively and permanently and open at their inner edges which face one another, a member inclosed in each of the channeled members, a screen fabric each of whose edges is secured relatively to each inclosed member, all the inclosed members being separately adjustable outwardly in the plane of the fabric into the said channeled members, and means to clamp all of the inclosed members in the channeled members together but permit the adjustment of the former relatively to the latter.

' 2. In a screen, the combination with its covering fabric, of a separate member at each ofthe four edges of the fabric,the

' edges of the latter being carried by the said members, a frame forming the boundary of the screen, and within which the members are inclosed and in which each is adjustable independently of one another and of said frame in an outward direction in the plane of the fabric to stretch the latter, and means to clamp the members within and relative to the frame.

3. In a screen, the combination with its fabric, of a separate channel member lying at each of four edges of the fabric, the open channels of opposite members facing outward in opposite directions, the edges of the fabric lying in said members, a frame each part of which has a channel facing inward toward one another, the described members lying therein and separately adjustable relatively thereto, and means to secure said members and the frame relatively.

4:. In a screen, the combination of its wire fabric, a separate independent U shaped channel member forming a part of each of the four sides of the frame of a screen frame, the open channel of all of the members facing outward, the edge of the wire fabric lying within'said open channels, a second U-shaped channel member overlying and inclosing each of the first and the fabric, all of the second members being secured relatively as a rigid frame, the said first members being adjustable within the frame, and means to secure all of the described members relatively.

5. In a screen, the combination of its wire fabric, a separate U-shaped' channel member in each of which one of the edges of the said fabric is inclosed, the sides of the members being closed upon said fabric but permitting 7 its withdrawal therefrom, said members being each turned over upon the fabric and all of them lying substantially in the same plane, a frame composed of U-shaped channel members the open portion of each facing inward toward the corresponding opposite portion, and each adapted to receive intoit one of the first named channel members, the latter being adjustable therein in the plane of the fabric in an outward direction to stretch said fabric, and means to secure the members relative to each other and said frame.

6. In a screen, the combination of its fab ric, a separate member adapted to receive one of the edges of said fabric, the latter being detachablv secured to each, separable U-shaped -members constituting part of the frame of the screen, the open channels of the members facing inward toward opposite members of said frame and each adapted to receive one of the first named members, the latter being independently adjustable relative to one another and relative to said frame to stretch the fabric, and means to secure the frame and said first named members relg atively. p

7. In a screen, the combination of its fabric, a separate member for each edge of the fabric, the edges of said fabric being detachably held on the members, a hollow frame comprising channel members abutting at their ends and in use fixed relatively, their open sides facing inward toward one another, the first named members lying therein and adjustable independently relative to the frame members, a brace for each corner of the frame including opposite clamping portions to engage the said frame members and adapted for holding them in their abutting relation, and means to clamp the portions of the brace upon the frame members and for clamping the inner fabric carrying members relative thereto.

8. In combination, the frame of a screen consisting of metal having roughened surfaces, and a separate and independent holding member for holding each edge of the screen fabric and having correspondingly roughened surfaces adapted to engage those of the frame and separately adjustable within the frame each in an outward direction to stretch said fabric, and means to Secure the members and the frame relatively.

9. In combination, the frame of a window or other screen consisting of corrugated metal, the corrugations extending longitudinally of the frame parts, a separate and independent holding member for each edge of the screen fabric and having correspond- Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ing corrugations extending longitudinally thereof adapted to engage those of the frame and separately adjustable within the frame each in an outward direction to stretch said fabric, and means to secure the members and frame relatively.

10. The combination of the meeting railsof an upper and lower screen section movable relatively each comprising a channeled member inverted in position with respect to one another, one of said members including an extension projecting toward the other and spanning the space between them and guides relative to which the sections are movable in planes parallel to one another.

11; The combination with a window screen and a track for the same including an extended portion lying parallel to the plane of said screen at one side thereof, of a member securedon the screen including spaced extensions adapted to engage opposite sides of said extended portion for securing the screen in position and guide it in said track, said member being pivotally mounted on the screen and adapted to swing in its own plane away from the said track.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST STARBUCK. WVILLIAM A. SEELYE. Witnesses:

L. M. THURLQW, L. O. EAGLETON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

